Australian Politics

China is everybody’s destiny!

Via Argus: China has told some of its state-owned steelmakers and power plants to stop importing Australian coals with immediate effect, injecting more uncertainty into its spot markets that had anticipated eased restrictions into 2021.

Saul Eslake is a highly respected economist and is about as centrist as you can get.

Via Domain: NSW ministers have been told to spend their share of the Berejiklian government’s $3 billion COVID-19 acceleration fund on fulfilling their election promises instead of new projects.

Via The Fake Left: Demand for food relief has risen by 47% on average during Covid-19, Australian charities say, with the trend driven by growing numbers of international students and casual workers asking for help.

Via the ABC: The Federal Government has laid out its plan to help get Australians back into work, but there is still no answer about how much financial support it will offer to those who cannot find a job beyond the end of the year.

Something in the water today?

It’s ineptitude on a grand scale.

Rats deserting the sinking ship: I’m glad that Mr Eccles has a sense of clarity.

At MB we’ve been patient with lockdowns but that time has passed.

Putting lippy on the Coalition pig as usual, is Murdoch Propaganda HQ: Four in five voters have backed the Morrison government’s income tax cuts, claiming they will be better off, with a majority of Australians believing the budget stimulus will drag the economy out of COVID-19 recession.

At Murdoch’s Coalition Propaganda HQ the budget is a cash splash with no equal: Millions of workers will have a pay cheque boost within weeks after the federal budget was rushed into law — including tax cuts projected to inject $7bn into the economy by mid-2021.

Ever since Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews threw former health minister Jenny Mikakos under the bus and made her the scapegoat for the state’s bungled hotel quarantine program, we’ve been waiting for her to spill the beans and leak insider information on the failed system.

Last week it was reported that private security guards had been pulled from a Melbourne quarantine hotel and replaced by police after a health worker raised fears about infection control breaches: Staff employed by Spotless were pulled from the floor of the last remaining “hot” quarantine site – the Novotel in Southbank – mid-shift.

Here’s Anthony Albanese budget reply speech: ANTHONY ALBANESE MP LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY MEMBER FOR GRAYNDLER BUDGET IN REPLY 2020 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020 My fellow Australians.

Via the AFR: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has asked Labor to support nominating Finance Minster Mathias Cormann to become the next secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Cross-posted from Swiss Medical Weekly. Summary A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) first detected in Wuhan, China, has spread rapidly since December 2019, causing more than 100,000 confirmed infections and 4000 fatalities (as of 10 March 2020).

Via The Australia Institute: Tax Cuts: Temporary for Low and Middle Earners, Permanent for High Earners New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that the income tax changes announced in the Budget yesterday will disproportionately advantage wealthy Australians both now and into the future.

The federal budget included the below measure indicating that an English language requirement will be introduced for partner visas and their permanent resident sponsors: As noted above: “These changes will help support English language acquisition and enhance social cohesion and economic participation outcomes”.

There won’t be many happy punters after the release of the Depressionberg Unstimulus yesterday but one that ought to be thrilled by it is the ALP and its Empty Chair.

And why wouldn’t it?